Keeping Your Dog Tick-Free

Are you worried about your dog getting ticks? If you live in a warmer, humid area with a lot of woods and brush, then there is a good chance that you have a lot of ticks in your area. Ticks are small little bugs (they are relatives of spiders) that wait on ends of grass for animals to walk by. Then when the animal passes the tick on the grass, the tick will either jump or crawl onto the animal's body. The tick then will bite the other animal (such as your dog) and you will need to remove the tick from your dog's body.

Ticks also are known for spreading disease, and some of these diseases can be transmitted to humans. So, if you notice that your dog has a tick, you will want to get it removed immediately. However, you also can simply focus on keeping your dog tick free, so that you will not have to worry about pulling out ticks. Here are a couple of things that you can do to keep your dog tick free:

• Avoid grassy, wooded areas during tick season: Ticks are at their highest peak during the summer months when it is warm and the ticks are able to flourish. One of the best ways to keep your dog tick free is to avoid walking in areas where ticks might be located. This might mean that you will have to not take your dog on hikes, or it might mean that your dog will not get to go on vacations with your family to tick-infested areas. If you are really serious about keeping your dog tick free, then the first thing to do is work hard to make sure that your dog will not be exposed to ticks.

• Buy tick shampoo: Another thing that you can do to keep your dog tick free is to buy tick shampoo. There are a lot of different kinds of tick shampoo that are available, and you can get them right off of the shelf at your local pet store. However, if you have questions about different tick shampoos, or if you are a looking for a medicated tick shampoo, you might want to consult with your vet first.

• Tick collars: Another thing that you can do to keep your dog tick free is to buy a tick collar. Many tick collars are also able to keep fleas away too, which is another bonus! These tick collars are especially nice because they do not bother or irritate your dog in any way – but you will be able to keep ticks away with them! You can buy tick collars at your local pet store anywhere from $10 to around $20.

• Check for ticks often: Even if you are doing your best to keep ticks away from your dog, it is still a good idea to check your dog's body often for ticks. Ticks are usually found near the head, ears, neck, or belly of a dog. If you see a little bump that looks like a wart or a tick, look carefully to see if there are little tick feet that are sticking out. By checking your dog often for ticks, you will be able to make sure that your dog stays tick free and disease free!

Ticks are not a fun thing for your dog to have, and you especially don't want your dog to become susceptible to diseases that ticks spread. By taking these precautions to keep your dog tick free, you will have a happier and healthier pet (and you'll be happier and healthier as well!).

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